Warwick community gathers to mark Holocaust Memorial Day

The Warwick community gathered to mark Holocaust Memorial Day last week.

In a tradition that stretches over the last 20 years, Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27 was marked at the Warwick War Memorial in Church Street with a special open air service of prayers and poetry readings.

Children and teachers from five local schools joined together with members of the wider public and civic dignitaries from the town, district and county councils led by the Mayor of Warwick, Cllr Richard Edgington.

In doing this, Warwick joined towns, cities and schools all over the world in spending some moments remembering the victims and horror of genocides and holocausts over the last century.

The prayers were led by Father Patrick Mileham.

Dave Sternberg, one of the organisers, said: "The pieces that were read were very moving reminding us all of the terrible things that can happen when understanding and tolerance are

replaced by persecution and victimisation."

Pupils from All Saints and Coten End primary schools joined students from Aylesford, Myton, Warwick and Kings High schools to read and listen to poems and readings about the holocaust in the Second World War and subsequent genocides.

Over the last week, school pupils have had special assemblies and projects around the Holocaust and other genocides.

The Mayor of Warwick, Cllr Richard Edgington, laid a wreath of white flowers at the war memorial. Then the ceremony concluded with the two minutes’ silence, the Memorial Prayer for the

Victims of the Shoah, and the Blessing.